On the occasion of the World Day Against the Death Penalty
a delegation of the Community of Sant'Egidio, cofounder of the WCADP, will partecipate to the events of the Texas Journey of Hope Oct. 9-15 2015 in Dallas and Houston

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty - XIII world day against the death penalty

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is an alliance of more than 150 NGOs, bar associations, local authorities and unions around the world to obtain the universal abolition of the death penalty. On 10 October 2015, the World Coalition celebrates the world day against the death penalty to raise awareness around the application of the death penalty for drug-related crimes, to reduce its use.
Since 1979, an increasing number of countries enacted laws permitting the death penalty for drug-related offences. In 1979, approximately 10 countries prescribed the death penalty for such crimes. This number rose to 36 in 2000 and stands at 33 today. Thirteen of the 33 countries have carried out an execution for drug offences in the past five years. This is in stark contrast with the abolitionist trend in the same period. In 1977 only 16 countries had abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Today, there are 140.
After many years of the practice of sentencing drug-related offenders to death, empirical evidence shows that the death penalty doesn’t reduce drug trafficking. Many of offenders who are sentenced to death and executed are mere bit players in the illicit drug trade. Besides, also in the case of drug-related offences, the application of the death penalty discriminates against poor people, women and foreigners.
The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty website presents the upcoming events on the occasion of the XIII World Day and some of the activities that can organized. For further information: www.worldcoalition.org/